After practicing medicine over 20 years, I think there is a reason we see women live longer. Women prioritize their health and focus more on preventative care than men do.
Men tend to take the ostrich approach and bury their heads in the sand and hope everything turns out all right. Unfortunately, that method of healthcare stinks because by the time we get the memo that things are seriously wrong with our health, it is too late. Think of your health as a retirement account. The sooner you invest, the greater the benefit. It is never too late to invest, but the older you get the more effort it requires to get the same benefit as the person who started early.
What are some things that pay huge dividends in your health investment account and prevent major diseases?
Exercise, sleep, stress management (meditation), avoiding dental issues (a big source of inflammation for the heart), and getting labs that show how well you are doing health-wise, like fasting insulin, fractionated lipids, and inflammation markers. Now that is where a good functional medicine doctor comes in. We actually understand these issues and labs and interpret them for you, so we can head off disease and practice true prevention.